ARITA c.1660 – 1680 Japanese Porcelain
A Rare Arita 17th Century Blue and White Porcelain Dish of Ai-Kutani Type, c.1660-1680. The Bold Design Consists of a Fan Shaped Panel Contrasting with a White Background. The Striking Design of a Solid Impenetrable Mountain Range, Presumably Topped with Snow, is Made More Dramatic by the Presence of a Group of Diminutive Pine Trees in the Foreground. The Well Executed Painting Uses Bold Washes of Watery Cobalt Contrasting with Small Amounts of Rich Cobalt Divided by the White of the Porcelain. This is Achieved by Using a Wax Resist Technique Called Sumihajiki in Japan.
SOLD
- Condition
- In excellent condition, some crazing to the glaze.
- Size
- Diameter : 21.5 cm (8 1/2 inches)
- Provenance
- From an English Private Collection of Japanese and Chinese Ceramics.
- Stock number
- 24356
Photos
Information
Sumihajiki / Wax Resist :
This type of ceramic decoration appears in Japan just after the middle of the 17th century, although its origins are much earlier. The effect created is that of painted white lines cutting through blue, this is achieved using a wax resist type paint called `sumi` which protects the white porcelain from the cobalt blue over-painting. The `sumi` is burnt off during the firing to leaving white lines to contrast against the blue.